Landline disconnected by Post Office for due bill. Help required.

Orlanth

Hello on Saturday my landline was disconnected even though I recently paid most of my bill off. I received a letter dated the 28th asking me to contact a customer service line that I couldn't actually access as my phone is limited to calling the Revenue Management call center.
They flatly refuse to unlock my phone unless I pay them the £30 owed. I am not able to do this for about three weeks due to cashflow.

TIMELINE.

1. My bill was issued on the 16th April for a total of £61.50.

I was unable to pay due to unemployment and related cash flow problems. I have NO bank debt of any kind, mostly because I avoid direct debit and pay my utilities as and when I can rather than as and when the utility companies prefer. While most utility companies dislike this, none have disconnected my service before and all have been paid.

2. I have a history of late payment for my bills for the above reason, but no history of defaulting from any bill. I have on several occassions contacted customer servioces for companies involveed, including the Post Offioce and explained this.

3. On the 20th May I paid £31.50 to the Post office reducing my bill to £30.

4. On 28th May a standard letter was sent threatening debt recovery and demanding IO pay or contact the Customer Care Line (0345 600 3210) within 48 hours. By the time the letter arrived I was no longer able to make any phone calls and the Revenue Management number my phone calls were transferable to was closed over the weekend.

5. I was finally able to contact the Post Office Revenue Management team via my landline, by dialing any non emergency number, in fact I tried to contact the Customer Care team listed above but the Post office refused to transfer my call to any department.

Speaking to the Post Office Revenue Management team.

The phone all was made at 16:30. It was answered by an operator I shall call 'S'. The operator refused point blank to give my ANY further identifying information, either full name (which I was understanding about) but also refused to give me any desk number, or call log number so that I could verify or complain about the call.

- I asked to be transfered to customer services department, which 'S' refused to do. I asked if that was not possible for him to pass me through to a supervisor or manager which again 'S' refused to do.

- I asked 'S' when I last made payment, and the date and amount of £31.50 on the 20th May was confirmed.
I mentioned that this of itself provided intent to pay however Sam refused to accept that and reconnect on the grounds that monies were still due.

- 'S' claimed that due notification was given on 22nd May at 15:18 when a Post Office Revenue worker (one name given)left a voicemail message on my landline warning me of imminent action to disconnect me unless I paid. I have an eight digit reference for this claim.
This is spurious because I do not have a voicemail service on my phone.

- 'S' said that as I had made no reply with notification of intent to pay the remaining £30 the phone was cut off.

- I explained that I cannot pay for at least three weeks. 'S' said that was my choice. I replied that it wasn't a matter of choice but a matter of actual ability to pay. Due to my status as unemployed and the need to pay off other bills.

- I asked 'S' what was the minimum time period before a service telephone provider can cut off a customer for non payment. 'S' refused to answer or to pass me to anyone else who could provide the answer.

- 'S' then said that I had not arranged a payment plan so I was being disconnected. I replied that I had called the Post Office in the past to report inability to pay within the companies preferred schedule and notes existed for this purpose. Again 'S' refused to read the notes for confirmation, but did ask me for confirmation of when I made calls. As I have made several such calls over several billing periods, without incident I never made reference to the timing of these calls.
'S' confirmed several notes exist, which is what the majority of the notes would be about as I only once called the Post Office for any other reason, but flatly refused to read any.

- I then asked 'S' to provide information as to what my notes contained. Again a flat refusal.

- 'S' maintained throughout the phone call that all they were able to do was accept payment for the due £30 and would. 'S' did mention that there were many noted on my system file regarding to my calls highlighting my troubles paying, but refused to read or disclose any, even when asked.

- When I asked for notification from 'S' as to how he was able to confirm that I had made no comments highlighting my inability to pay on the companies preferred time frame, but couldn't tell me what the actual notes contained and refused to read them; 'S' said that I should be put on hold while he contacted the manager.
Ok, so he can contact the manager.

So I waited. Of course the manager was not available, as I waited again. So I was offered a 'callback'. Yeah right.



I have found on the Citizens advice page:

Reasons for being disconnected

If you have not paid all your bills and your provider has given you several opportunities to pay the bill, they are in their rights to disconnect your service.

If you are in the middle of disputing a bill, your provider should not disconnect you until the dispute has been resolved.

If you are struggling to pay your bills, tell your provider immediately so they can help you work out a payment plan. Your provider shouldn't disconnect your service, once you've agreed a payment plan with them.

So-
- I also paid half the monies only ten days ago.
- Post Office falsely claimed to have warned me of impending disconnection on a non existant voicemail attached to my phone two days after making a substantial payment of the arrears.
- I cannot pay the monies owed as and when utility companies want to. Though I always pay, and in the case of the Post office have been in arrears longer than my current arrears period.
I keep in contact with my ultility company creditors and explain my inability to pay, with notes on system.

Where do I stand with this mess?
AFAIK there are timespans before a utility company can disconnect a user. I know for instance for my power bills there is a minimum time before
Of interest disconnecting my phone robs me of the ability to pay my energy bills, the remainder of which are due before my phone bill, and I had scheduled to pay first. It also prevents me from looking for work properly as I cannot pursue employment via my phone.


Who do I complain to?
'S' mentioned that I must complain in writing, which wont help me with my disconnected phone right now.
If the Post Office has infringed on my rights, and if the fact that they have made false notification of due warning on my account can I pursue this matter elsewhere.

Orlanth

I called back about an hour later after finding out some info.

Spoke to 'W'.

- 'W' refused to give me a code reference to the previous conversation.
Claimed there wasn't one.

- Even though I had been late paying before I had not been disconnected before, but late payment had shortened the responce time for the disconnection.
I explained that under UK Gov guidelines a company is expected to give more time for low income persons to pay rather than less.

- 'W' said that notice was given, but refused again to acknowledge that there was a minimum timeframe between an official notification and when action can be taken.
I explained that my notification was by a letter dated 28th May by the time it arrived didn't allow me to call the Customer services number on it because I had already been disconnected.
I also explained that my so called phone notification was falsified because it was via a non existant voicemail message.

- I asked 'W' for my consumer rights to be respected. 'W' responded by claiming the conversation was going in circles and hung up the call.

macman

The balance owing was approximately 6 weeks overdue, and you had received a final demand, so I'm not clear how much additional time you expected the provider to give you?
The fact that you 'always pay' eventually is not going to be taken into consideration: the bill is due for immediate payment on issue, and any delay may result in restriction of services or disconnection.